Such a "thankful" week...

This has really been a great week.  Starting off the week with a wonderful dinner at one of my favorite places, that also was Ken's favorite.  Doug and Susie and I had tried to plan this dinner out for a long time, but it's tough to arrange schedules these days!  So, in honor of Ken's birthday (which was in May) we finally got to celebrate at Uncle Bubs.  

It is not exactly close for us, but it is surely worth the drive!  If you live in the Chicago area, or ever visit, a stop at Uncle Bubs is sure to please the Barbeque lovers.  Doug and I were discussing how we found this place, and I am pretty sure it was DOUG that had eaten here and recommended it to us.  Ken and I had eaten there just before the Covid shut down and we never made it back before Ken died.  I came home with enough food for the next few days as well as a bottle of Barbeque Sauce!  

Then, this week marked the first day of school for all the grands!  

I was actually at Gwen and Tim's and experienced their start of homeschool.  Anna is in fourth grade, Zeke is in 7th grade, Ellie is a High School freshman (gasp) and Lia went to her first "in person" class at college on this day (double gasp- although she took college classes on line all last year) Lia is "technically" a Senior this year, most of her time will be spent doing college classes.  Its so amazing to watch the learning and growth happen, often outside of "books".  I love how I have gotten to walk along side of these kids and see them each move into their giftings.  

Grace's first day of First Grade was on Thursday.  I can hardly believe that she is a first grader!  She is pretty sure that she wants to be a teacher when she grows up, which is no surprise to me.  She loves learning, loves reading and loves school!  

So, here it is, actually late summer, but it FEELS like fall.  Even when the temps last week actually hit 100 degrees, fall still seems right around the corner.  That's what happens with back to school.  This weekend was one of those glorious times when the air was cool (70's) and there was a pleasant breeze.  I spent a great deal of time just sitting outside, enjoying the coolness.  When I came back inside to make myself a rather late "brunch" (it was after 10:30am) this happened....

I actually had a "double yoked" egg!  I don't remember the last time that this has happened!  While I have recently been purchasing "free range" eggs, I was still surprised.  My mom always said that a double yoke egg was a sign of goodness and a reminder to be doubly thankful whenever you had the surprise of a double yoke egg.  As I ate my eggs, there was quite a bit of reflection on all my blessings.  My family, my grandchildren, great weather, good food, a comfortable home, ability to go whenever and wherever I choose. great friends, and so much more.  II reflected on the recent blessing of adding family through my DNA discovery. I am so thankful that I am just at the beginning of a new adventure as I learn more about my paternal relatives.  Also, this week, I had the opportunity to gather with several different groups of friends and spend time in fellowship and prayer.  For sure, a week full of "double blessings".  

Today in church there was a challenge to actively be using your gifts in service to the church, your community, and the world.   There were three stirring testimonies that certainly made you consider how the Holy Spirit might be nudging you to step out of your comfort zone into a place of service.  This message, coming after a very thankful week, hit the mark.  I will be considering with much more diligence, in what ways I can be serving and I won't be nearly as likely to use that "comfort zone" as an excuse to say no!   One of the best parts of watching the grandkids begin a new school year is seeing them grow into the destiny that Jesus planned for them before they were born.  While they may think that are preparing for supply chain management, fashion design, builder or engineer, leaders, teachers or truck drivers, there is so much more ahead for them as they walk with Jesus.  Yes, they may end up doing some of those jobs, but they also may not. Whatever their professions end up to be, that master plan of Jesus will find fulfilment.  So, with a challenge excepted, I will be seeking to fulfill my own destiny through serving!   This season is a good time to consider for yourself, ways that you could move our of your comfort zone and follow that gentle nudge of the Spirit into something new.  Let me know what you decide to do!  And I will keep you up to date in future blogs.

Jesus, it is easy to think that we are not needed or we have already done enough.  Help us to understand that we all have things to share and ways that we can serve.  Holy Spirit, remind us to pray and support all the children and parents and teachers as the new school year begins.  Give us gentle reminders of ways that we can show your love to those around us.  Thank you for double blessings and weeks of thanksgiving.  Amen

What a busy month it has been....

Sometimes it is hard to just stop and look back on the past few weeks since there was just so much that happened!  You would think that, at my age, I would be mostly just relaxing in my Lazy Boy (which to be fair, I do quite often.)  But here is me being very grateful and feeling very blessed to be able to be so busy.  If Covid has done one thing, it has made everyone appreciate times of being out and doing fun things together.  And while this busyness does make it hard to find time to put my thoughts and feelings down "on paper" (so to speak) in this blog, I don't want a whole month to go by without recapping it.  So, here goes.

Being at Tim and Gwen's house is always like being at some very wonderful, nature area.   There is this incredible view from the family room (which has a huge picture window) or from the sunroom of the sprawling forest behind the home.  On this day, a very large hawk decided to land on the kids trampoline net!  It was really big and surveyed the grounds for a number of minutes.  It was shocking to see just how big it was when it actually took flight.  Watching the trees begin to change color and the leaves begin to fall, helped me mark the change of season.  It is so good to just stop and breathe out every time I am there.  

The very next day, I was at Doug and Susie's house and there was a really big thunder storm that moved through the area.  Of course this brought a day inside for Grace, James and me.  But just as I was leaving for home, the sun came out and I saw this really incredible rainbow over their house.  I turned around and went back inside to bring Grace out to see the rainbow.  It was still raining slightly, and I managed to snap this one not so good picture.  Grace was so excited since this was the first time she had ever seen a "real rainbow"!  It is so wonderful to be able to be a part of an experience like this.  These small firsts with any child are so special.  

A few days after this, I spent the weekend with Zeke and Anna (and Chandler) while Gwen and Tim, along with Lia and Ellie, were away at their Youth Fall Retreat.  As the kids get older and older, I have fewer and fewer of them during these retreats.  Starting next spring, I will just have Anna since Zeke will be gone also.  

The highlight for the kids was for sure the various playgrounds we visited.  We played some games, did some crafts and helped clean up all of the water toys for the winter.  Anna even painted my nails.  For me, the best thing was having breakfast out and then visiting the lake across the street.  The kids threw rocks in the water and tried to find skipping stones.  I was able to skip a couple and it sure brought me back to my own childhood at the lake.  I just treasure these simple times with the kids. 

The next week, I finally delivered on a birthday present for Ellie from last March.  Gwen and I took her to see Hamilton on stage in Milwaukee.  

It was the first time that Ellie had been to a live show and Hamilton is her all time favorite.  Again, getting to be a part of these "firsts" is just so amazing.  We had such a wonderful time, made even more wonderful after the Covid delay.  It actually felt "normal" to be sitting in a large auditorium.  I realized on the way home, this was the first time I have been out of Illinois since September of 2019!  For the last two years, I have never left home.  With all of the traveling that Ken and I did, it is no wonder that I am feeling sort of stir crazy.  Such a nice day and way to mark a milestone for Ellie.

Just a few days later, was an opportunity to watch Tim run a marathon and Gwen run a half marathon.  It was a simply gorgeous fall day, crisp and cool but sunny and dry.  

Tim's race started an hour before Gwen's so we were there bright and early.  I stayed with the kids and we became a "cheering section" on the path as the runners came by.  There was a large group of people from their church that also ran with them.  We had lots of runners to cheer for!  

Thankfully, everyone finished the race!  It was so fun to watch the group, some who were getting their first ever medals!  This was Gwen's 6th half marathon and Tim's 11th marathon.  I am so proud of their dedication and follow through.  I love being an eye witness to these important events.

Being able to spend time each week with Grace and James has been a joy.  James seems to change and grow overnight.  So it is a blessing to be able to watch each new accomplishment.   Grace has done so well being a big sister.  She is anxiously waiting for James to be able to play with her.  It is so hard having to wait!  James has recently grown big enough and strong enough to graduate from his playmat on the ground to his activity center.  I found Grace happily "reading" to him and he was loving it!

Grace actually read him many more books and I am sure, quite soon, she will really be reading the words to him!  She is such a big help for me, whether it is getting a burb cloth, or letting Kylie out when I am feeding James.  I just love watching her loving on her brother.  

Is there anything better than the smiles of children?  I am so thankful for all of these activities.  For all of the hugs and kisses, for all of the hours of play.  For all of the special moments and the milestones.  All of these things are worth hanging on to and worth remembering.  

Recently I was talking with a number of friends about the power of testimony.  Sometimes we forget just how much our small, little moments can have a big impact on someone else.  I remember hearing a very long time ago, that it is the current things that we should be sharing with those around us.  The big testimonies have a place, the life changing ways God has acted in our life, yes, those are worth sharing.  But don't forget to tell someone else about the little ways that you know Jesus is with you and listening to your cries for help.  I love to hear how others have seen Jesus in their day to day struggles.  It brings me so much encouragement and certainly deepens my faith and hope.  For me, each of the stories above are evidence of Jesus' love and care for me.  I feel his presence with me as I go from activity to activity.  He knows exactly what I need each day.  Being able to be with my kids and my grandkids is something I do not take for granted.  It is truly a blessing and a joy.  

Jesus, thank you for the daily ways that you meet us exactly where we are.   No matter how busy we are, you are never going to leave us.  Holy Spirit, thank you for reminding me to capture these milestone moments with my family, no matter how small they may seem.  Jesus help us to be willing to share our struggles and our small moments with those around us.  Amen

When pictures on the walls makes you feel at home....

It has only been a few weeks since our painting project was completed, but it feels like it has been a long time since the house has felt like my home.  Isn't it funny how pictures on the walls make your home feel "right"?  I wanted to make good decisions about the placement of pictures and weed out things that really didn't need to be up any longer.  But, boy was this a difficult task.   I had piled everything off the walls from almost the entire house (except my scrap room and Ken's camera room) into my scrap room.  What a mess!  I couldn't really use my room at all for the totes and bags and boxes of wall stuff.  Once Ken was home from the hospital and I had a bit of time to just breathe, I started to sort and figure out what I wanted to put up right away. 

First up - the grandchildren frames. 

Susie actually created each of these frames for me and there is one for each of the grandchildren.  They are "Grandma and...." frames and I cherish each one.  It felt so good to hang those up! Nothing makes me smile more than seeing those frames every time I walk in that hallway.  

We got some new shelves that fit my scrapbook collection and allow for display of some other family photos!

I have wanted a way to have easy access to my scrapbooks and it was such a wonderful thing to find these shelf units that are big enough to hold the 12X12 albums.  I actually have lots of space left for all of the books that I still need to fill with pictures.  

Slowly, the home improvement work is getting done.  We still have a couple more big projects to complete (interior doors, carpet upstairs, and railings on our stairs) but it is actually starting to feel almost done.  It is interesting that I am blogging about these updates during this week.   It is actually the 41st anniversary of our moving into this house.  Ken and I closed on the house on February 17,  1978 and moved in on the 25th.  This was just before we closed on the house...

There had been a large snowstorm just a week before our closing and we had to wait for the builder to install some kind of driveway for access to the house.  The front yard was just a mud pit and there were piles of snow and dirt everywhere.  But we moved in!  

One thing is certain.  This has been a wonderful home for Ken and I and our children.  We brought both kids home from the hospital to this house.  The room that is now my scrapbook room (which is where I am currently sitting) was our nursery.  There were countless birthday parties, Christmas celebrations and everything in between.  So many memories, so much love.  While we have gotten rid of much of the interior that was here in 1978, the foundation is the same.  And it is a good, sturdy foundation.

I love the old children's Bible song The Wise Man Built His House On The Rock.  There have been many prayers going up from this house, and so many blessing have come down..  Yes, it was a good decision for us when we purchased our home so many years ago never thinking that we would still be in this house 41 years later.  Every time I open the front door, I am thankful for this house, for my family and for every one of those years.  

Pictures on the walls have helped me feel more at home in my house, but it is really the love and the memories that fill me inside these walls.  Yes I am thankful for the house and all of the stuff inside of it.  But mostly I am thankful for the blessing of my family.  And so thankful for the foundation of Jesus in my life, that has given me my own firm foundation.  

Jesus, thank you for pouring out your blessings on my family.  Help each one of us to see the importance of building our life on your strong foundation.  Holy Spirit remind us of every time we have been secure in times of trouble so that we will not fear the approach of any flood.  Give us courage and boldness to share your love Jesus.  Amen

A birthday and awaiting a birth.....

Today was an exciting day for our family!  It was the celebration of Anna's third birthday.  I can hardly believe that she is already three years old.  Gwen sent me this picture from after the party.

It was a Peppa Pig extravaganza!  Anna loves Peppa Pig and I found this Peppa Pig rain coat, which she loves.  She also was quite pleased with the Frozen rain boots that she has wanted for a long time.  She was distressed when all of her siblings had rain boots and she did not.  So Grandma Lyn came to the rescue and found these.   Lia was so happy to provide face painting and temporary tatoos for all of the kids.  It was a wild and crazy couple of hours but Ken and I wouldn't have missed it for anything!  Well, almost anything...... which brings me to the awaiting a birth!

Doug and Susie are still waiting for the arrival of their precious little one.  We are all getting anxious to meet her.  We had talked about the possibility of not being able to be at Anna's party if this baby decided to come today.  Sadly, that did not happen.  Anna's actual birthday is Monday, so she just might end up sharing a birthday with her cousin!  Nothing we can do but sit and wait!  One thing is sure, Jesus knows the exact right time for this baby to be born.  

You know, it is really good to spend time with a bunch of kids and their parents.  Especially if you are really old, like me!  There was so much energy in the house today.  There were 21 kids between the ages of 2 months and 10 years!  Plus their parents!  Additionally there were some other adults that Anna wanted invited to her party - thankfully that included grandparents!   So there was a lot of noise and lots of activity.  Anna's favorite spot was playing with the pink play dough that Gwen had made.  The big kids spent a great deal of time upstairs.  It is really nice to be around these young families. 

How wonderful it was to look around at all of the kids and to know that they are all being raised knowing about Jesus.  It is such a great feeling knowing that Gwen and Tim have surrounded their family with a support system of like minded friends.  There were many churches represented in the group, but the main thing is that they all love Jesus.  It is so nice to see kids who don't know each other, come together at this kind of event and all get along and have fun.  Yes, those parents have their hands full.  But all I could think about was this verse....Psalm 127:3-5a

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  

So I decided to look at these verses in the Passion Translation, and I am so glad that I did!

Children are God's love-gift; they are heaven's generous reward.  Children born to a young couple will one day rise to protect and provide for their parents.  Happy will be the couple who has many of them!  A household full of children will not bring shame on your name, but victory when you face your enemies.  For your kids will have influence and honor to prevail on your behalf!

Doesn't that just give a deeper and clearer meaning to those verses?  Today was one of those times when I sit back and marvel at my children, now adults with their own families.  Each season of life has challenges and rewards.  These young families have sleepless nights, stacks of laundry and dishes that never end.  There are struggles with time management, activities and work schedules.  Yet, they are parenting some wonderful kids who will have influence and honor.  And there is so much joy and energy in their lives.  In the grandparenting season, there are a host of challenges also.  There are health concerns, retirement concerns, job concerns, financial concerns.  And there are worries about our children and grandchildren.  But the rewards are wonderful.  Today was one of those rewards.  Sharing across generations.  Participating in the joy and the fun.  

It is always easy to look at the troubles and to retreat into darkness when things are going badly.  But it is so worth it to see the rewards that far out number the challenges.  Even with all of the muck of everyday life, there are bright and happy spots to focus on.  The trick is to watch for the reward!  

I think that this is a better challenge then just being thankful.  This is looking for the blessing beyond the thanksgiving.  Yes, I will be making time to watch for the reward every day.  And remembering that there is more than just being thankful.

Jesus, thank you for Anna and this wonderful day to celebrate her life.  Give our family great grace as we wait for Doug and Susie's baby to come.  Holy Spirit, help us all to look beyond the challenges to see the great rewards no matter what season of life we are in.  Thank you for your plan for the family that includes blessings shared between generations.  Amen

Celebrating Mother's Day.....at my small group!

We had a special Mother's Day brunch at my small group.  Today was a good day for me to be thinking about and celebrating Mother's Day.  It was the 37th Anniversary of the day that I became a mom!  Gwen's birthday!  This is a kind of fuzzy and a bit outdated (2014) picture of Gwen and I that was actually taken by one of the kids at a family gathering.  Usually Gwen and I are the ones that have the cameras in our hands and do the picture taking.  So we don't get many pictures of us together!   Happy Birthday to my wonderful, sweet Gwen.

My friend had a great idea for this morning's meeting. We  each got to pick a pretty tea cup and then we all filled up these cups with affirmations and blessings for each other!

We had spent some time thinking about and praying about our own mothers.  It was interesting to hear others talk about ways that they felt they had not appreciated their moms. The exact thing I was thinking about on my way to the meeting this morning.  It was a so good to forgive our mothers and to forgive ourselves for all of those times we failed as mothers.   We prayed for our children (31 plus 14 spouses of our kids) and grandchildren  (23 grandchildren). When you list these numbers it suddenly doesn't seem like a "SMALL" group!   As I have said before, this group is really a life line for me and I am so thankful for all of them!  What a meaningful and powerful time to stand together as mothers and bring our generations to Jesus!  And then we each got to fill up our friends cups with thoughts and prayers and blessings.   

I spent some time this afternoon meditating on each of those little pink pieces of paper in my cup.  Words have great power and even a few words on a little card can really have a big impact.  I also thought about the words that I had put on each of those papers in my friends cups.  Why is it that we don't take a moment to affirm each other more often?  If I learned one thing today it was how important it is to encourage and bless each other.  I am so thankful for these friends and I am thankful for my friend Jesus.......

What a Friend We Have In Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised

Thou wilt all our burdens bear;

May we ever, Lord, be bringing

All to Thee in earnest prayer.

Soon in glory bright, unclouded,

There will be no need for prayer—

Rapture, praise, and endless worship

Will be our sweet portion there.

This old hymn is one of my very favorites from my childhood and was also one of my mom's favorites.  Recently I encouraged Gwen to teach this to her kids.  On Monday when I was helping Ellie with her school work, we got to sing this song together.  It brought back so many great memories of my mom and was a good start to my mother's day celebrations.   I especially like the last few lines of this song..... and I think of my mom and so many others who are in that bright and glorious place of endless worship with Jesus.  What a great comfort and peace that brings.  

So be encouraged today in the love of Jesus.  Celebrate your mother and affirm her with your words of thanks and praise even if she is no longer alive.  And take a few moments and affirm your family, your friends and your neighbors.  

Jesus, thank you for today.  What a blessing it is to share your love with others.  Holy Spirit remind us all to affirm those around us.  Give us words of grace and power and blessing to share.  Thank you for songs that touch our spirits.  And Jesus, thank you for Gwen!  Amen

.  

going forward....through Thanksgiving

So here it is, the evening of "Black Friday".  And what I am feeling right now is an odd mixture of tired, glad that the holiday is over, with a bit of thankfulness thrown in.  This was a very different and extremely tough holiday for our family.  It was not one of those unexpected "waves" that I've been talking about.  No, it was an EXPECTED hard event that could not be avoided or just forgotten.  As a family, we did what we have been doing..... we put one foot in front of the other and walked through Thanksgiving.  As difficult as it was for me, I really can't imagine what Susie and Doug were experiencing.  For the last few years, Gwen and Tim and the kids have been staying overnight at our house a couple of nights.   Gwen and Tim have run a 5K race early on Thanksgiving morning a couple of years now, so it has worked out that we can watch the kids while they run the race.  Gwen and I have been "Black Friday" shopping together for at least 13 years (we aren't sure exactly when my mom stopped visiting us at Thanksgiving, which is when Gwen started shopping with me).  For Gwen's family this yearly shopping trip is an important money saving event.  The purchases always include birthday gifts for each of the kids for the next year, as well as a supply of "random birthday gifts" for all of those invitations that arrive home from school for friend's birthdays.  There really are many great money saving deals on this day.  So we proceeded with our "normal" plans.  The kids really look forward to having a "sleepover" at Grandma Lyn and Grandpa's house.  And I admit it is a very special time for me also.  In spite of the bitter cold (like single digits!) Gwen and Tim ran the 5K.  And the kids and I stayed in the nice warm house and did this....

Really, is there anything better than Play Do Therapy?  We had a great time.  I even let the kids mix the colors!  Who cares when you have 8 cans of stuff that only cost $2.00?  (Thanks 5 Below).  When Gwen and Tim got home from the race, the planning began for our big shopping trip.

Don't you just love that Anna was giving her mommy and daddy some help reading the ads?  Gwen is calling out the items to put on the list, and Tim is dutifully typing them into the computer.  Yes, we are VERY organized.  We take this shopping event seriously.  I know that there is a LOT of controversy about shopping on Thanksgiving, but for Gwen and I, it is really a Godsend.  It is so much easier to leave the house at 3:30 in the afternoon, hit 5 or 6 stores and be home by 9:30pm.  That way we can easily get up at 5:30am to begin "Black Friday" shopping at the remaining 3 or 4 stores.  Let me tell you that going out at 11:30pm when the stores opened at Midnight was HARD!  And even worse was getting up at 3:30am or 4:00am  when the stores were opening in the middle of the night.  The current set up is just so much better.  Thankfully, Gwen and I made good choices on the order of the stores and we were able to purchase almost all of the items on her list.  We made the choice to stand in a line (outside, in the cold and it was snowing!) at Toys R Us for about an hour before they opened.  But this strategy allowed us to be in the first group of shoppers in the door.  We got EVERYTHING on Gwen's long list, and were checked out and in the car heading to our next stop in 15 minutes.  Yes... 15 minutes!  For the most part, people were friendly, helpful and kind. This morning, at our first stop we actually stayed in the car until the doors were open.  And we STILL got everything on our lists.  The only negative to this stop was the lack of a shopping cart!  It is really amazing how much stuff you can carry if you have to!   We were home by 9:30 this morning with our shopping complete.

To complete our "normal" Thanksgiving, we all went to Doug and Susie's house for our turkey dinner.  Usually Doug and Susie do the bulk of the cooking with Doug smoking the turkey.  This year, Doug still wanted to make the turkey (inside) but we brought the rest of the meal.  I am sure this was still quite difficult for Doug and Susie, but as I said, we are all moving forward.  It was good to sit around their table and share this wonderful meal.  I think we all needed this time together.  It was important to all of us to pray together our family mealtime grace....

"Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed, Amen"

If there was ever a time that we all needed Jesus to be there with us, it was today as we were so missing precious Lucas.  We also needed to express - out loud - that we have been given so many gifts that are a blessing to us.  Usually we talk about all that we are thankful for during this meal.  But this year it was enough that we were sitting together, in a warm house, eating good food.  I know that Jesus was sitting with us at that table.  I could feel His presence so clearly.  After we finished eating, we all went back to the family room to let our food settle a bit before desert.  Anna had been fussy all day and had not slept well at all.  Gwen discovered the reason.....her first tooth had popped through! Susie picked up Anna and to distract her, gave her a set of keys that were on the table.  Anna just relaxed in Susie's arms and laid back to look up at Doug, who was sitting next to Susie.  Within a few moments, Anna was peacefully sleeping.  Anna rarely will sleep in someone's arms.  She just doesn't do this.  I was sitting next to Susie on the couch and realized that I was holding my breath.  Only Jesus could have arranged this sequence of events.  I can't imagine who difficult this was for Susie and Doug.  But Anna is their niece, and they love her dearly. And in that moment, I felt the peace of the presence of Jesus again so clearly.  This time was a gift.  And we were so blessed.

Jesus, thank you for your presence with us that is so healing.  Thank you for helping us walk on through difficult times. Thank you for guidance and direction in all things, even shopping.  Holy Spirit, help us all to welcome Jesus into every part of our daily life.  Thank you for pouring out your blessings on us.  Please continue to comfort Susie and Doug, and help us all to know your presence
with us. Thank you for your great love.  Amen

Result of a very busy few days....

Well my last blog was all about spending a day scrapbooking.  Then, Sunday, was not so much about relaxing.  It was a day that I look forward to all year!  It was Lia's dance recital! 

She works so hard all year and it is so rewarding to see the fruits of all that work! Lia is in a "Combo Class" that does both a ballet and tap number.   It is hard to believe that this was the 5th year she has been at this studio and in this year end show!  She started off in pre-ballet as a 3 year old and has never looked back.  Lia loves to dance!  She is very excited to be adding to her experience this summer by taking a "Lyrical" dance class.  When she is up on that stage, she shines!  It was a great day (although no photos were allowed during the recital...sadly).  This year, at the final bow, she was several rows back from the front.  Its hard to imagine just how grown up she has gotten. 

 

Then on Monday, I went up to Gwen's as usual.  Lia is still in school this week and Gwen had some errands that she needed to do.  So we headed off to the mall with Ellie, Zeke and Anna.  These kids are so good!  All they needed to be happy at the mall was a 75cent ride in a car!

Anna just rode along in her stroller.  She never made a peep through the entire trip.  We were blessed to make it back to the car just BEFORE the skies opened up and it rained and rained!   I just get so filled and happy being with these kids.  I am so thankful that I am able to be with them so often and get to participate in not only the BIG things (like birthdays and dance recitals), but also the little things like trips to the mall.  Yes, I am blessed!  After arriving home, Ken and I had lots of vacation things to accomplish.  Fortunately, I found everything that we needed to begin the packing process.  But, yes, it was a long and tiring day.

Then, today was a back to work day.  And it was also a busy day.  So I am feeling a bit.........gee I don't know exactly what word I would use to describe what I am feeling right now.  So I guess I would settle on excited!  I am really looking forward to this vacation!   In spite of the stress of the preparation for the vacation, I simply can't wait. 

Isn't that like so many very good things that we encounter?  There might be stress and lots of hard work to get there, and there might be quite a bit of excitement and butterflies in the stomach, leading up to the event, but in the end it is always worth it!  I remember my mom saying that nothing in life is really very good unless you have to work for it.  And that work also comes with some stress.   I know that I can look back and see the truth in that statement. 

So, I will sit back and relax a bit tonight.  We still have the rest of this work week before vacation.  So, get ready for more posts, as you follow along on our journey!

Thank you, so much Jesus for this busy time.  I am so blessed to be surrounded by my family and so grateful for this upcoming vacation.   Holy Spirit, help us all to know and understand that hard work and planning are part of the good things in our life.  Jesus, thank you for the many, many blessings you pour out on us.  Amen


Problems that turn into blessings!

Yesterday I was reminded, once again, that sometimes a problem might actually be a blessing in disguise.  I was getting ready to leave Gwen's house, after another wonderful day with them, when my car seemed to be totally dead!   Now this is frustrating on several levels.  First of all, there is an almost brand new battery in this car - just purchased in November.  Secondly, I had another time when my car would not start.  When Ken came to figure out the problem (since it was just weeks after the new battery), he discovered that the cable to the battery was loose. So he connected the cable and tightened it and since that, everything has been fine.  Here we are, just a couple of months later and the car won't start.  When I opened the hood, there was the battery cable, NOT connected, AGAIN!  Thankfully, Tim was able to just push the cable on and the car started right away.  I got home just a bit later than normal and Ken was able to fix (for the time being) this battery problem.   As I was driving home I was thinking about this "problem".  In the morning I was reading a Facebook post by my Kenyan friend Lucy.  She was recounting all the ways that Jesus works in our daily life.  One of the ways she noted was through "problems".  As she said, sometimes the problem we face actually keeps us out of what might be a real disaster.   I was imagining the accident that I might have avoided or some other thing that I can't even imagine!   So, I am thankful for this blessing, yesterday. 

A few weeks ago, I had a dream.  In the dream there was a very large banquet table, and it was filled with the most amazing looking food.  I have a picture similar to the one above, hanging in my bedroom.  But in the dream, the chairs were all filled with people and the table (and the plates) were filled with food!  There were also lots of people standing around the table - which I thought was kind of interesting.  I felt that this dream had something to do with Communion, but it seemed that there was more.  While I knew that there was a message in this dream, I couldn't quite figure it out.  Then a couple of other things came up.  First, I saw a video of Heidi Baker describing the floods in Mozambique.  The short video brought me to tears.  I can't find the link to the exact video, but you can watch a more recent video about the flooding here Heidi Baker - flooding.   And then I got invited to a Passover Seder.  Well, these three things did not seem at all connected...........until I spent a very powerful hour in worship at HUB on Sunday night.  

I  can't explain exactly how I began to put these very odd pieces together, but what I began to see during worship was a FLOOD of the Holy Spirit and a FLOOD of revelation of exactly who Jesus is, that was going to happen all over the world at Passover Seder celebrations.   I felt that all of those people that were standing BEHIND the chairs in that dream, had not yet discovered the host of that banqueting table - Jesus.   It seemed that many people are "stuck in the mud" (which was shown very clearly in the Heidi Baker video) and while they are very close to the truth, they are not quite there.  I just love that Jesus may well be using that flood - that problem - in Mozambique as a blessing.  Please join me in praying for all of these things.  Pray for Heidi Baker, her ministry, and everyone in Mozambique.  Pray for all of those Passover Seders around the world.  Pray for a new and renewed revelation of Jesus in that special meal. There is plenty of room at that "Communion" table!  And pray for that flood of the Holy Spirit over all of us! 

Jesus, thank you for the reminder to see the blessing in every problem.   Thank you for speaking to me in dreams and bringing further revelation during worship.  Jesus, bless Heidi Baker and bring more of your provision and presence to Mozambique.  Yahweh, it is your plan that ALL would be saved.  Holy Spirit, bring revelation of Jesus during all of the Passover Seders.  Let there be a flood of new saints taking their places at that Communion table.   Amen
 

Mothers and daughters.....

You will have to suffer through another post about Annaleigh today.  I just can't get enough of this little girl!   Tonight I got to visit again with Gwen, Tim and Anna and even got to see all of the grandkids!  And Ken got to me Anna also.   I just love this picture of Gwen, Anna and me.  We have similar pictures of Gwen and me with all of the kids.  All I could think about tonight was that mother - daughter thing.  There is such a special bond and when the daughter become the mother, even for the fourth time - it kind of takes your breath away. 

I remember Gwen's birth like it was yesterday.  Truthfully it was almost 35 years ago.  And unfortunately, my mom was not with me.  As a matter of fact she did not meet Gwen until she was 7 weeks old.  I can't tell you how much I missed my mom during those seven weeks.  It was such a wonderful thing to share my daughter with my mom. 

And this is the picture I snapped the first time my mom met Gwen.  I will love this picture forever.  The absolute joy and wonder on both their faces!  So I am thankful for the many, many pictures that are taken of me, Gwen and Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna.  And more than anything, I am thankful that I got to meet all of my grandchildren as they were born. 

 

What a big week this has been.  We were talking about how special it will be that Anna will have the only January birthday in our family.  A few months ago I learned about an amazing women's conference that is taking place this weekend.  I told my friends that I would not be able to go because Gwen's baby was due.  They all laughed at me because her actual due date was in February.  But I knew for sure that I should not register for this event.  And then Anna made her appearance, just as I suspected she would, the last week of January.  What a great time for a birthday.

 

Jesus, thank you for reminding me how special that mother - daughter connection is.  Holy Spirit, remind everyone reading this blog to appreciate and celebrate the mother/daughters in their lives.  Bless Gwen and Tim and their family.  Thank you for all that you are doing in them and through them.  Thank you for family and new life.  Amen

 

 

Christmas a bit early....

So today we celebrated Christmas with our family.  What a wonderful, joyous time we had.  We were all together by around 10:00am and spent the day just being together!  Of course part of the time was spent opening gifts. 

I can't say enough how thankful I am for my family.  Every time we are together my heart just swells with joy and love and gratitude.   And today was no different.   I got to play several rounds of UNO with Lia, got lots of hugs and kisses from Zeke, had some great talks with Ellie (who is now writing her name all by herself!) and lots of great conversations with Doug, Tim, Susie and Gwen.  I also got lots of doggie kisses from Sammy, Kylie and Chandler.  After the present opening, the kids were quite happy to play with their new toys, Grandpa took a nap on the couch in the living room, and the big kids and I played a couple of really neat games (both on the WII and a fun board game).  We had a great dinner (thanks Tim!) and then even managed to get a really good family picture.  A full day.

 

I am always so amazed at the thoughtful gifts that the kids find for Ken and I.  I especially love the gifts that the kids make for us.  Today we received a photo ornament of the three kids (which I am sure will be on my favorites list next year), and these.............

These are the coolest thing.  They are paintings done by the kids on a canvas - but get this - they have a sticky but repositionable back.  So they can be stuck and moved where ever and when ever you want!  Isn't that so neat!  I love the colors.  I love the joy and wonder in these.  I simply love then.  The minute we got home, they went up on the wall.  And right now they are inside the front door where I will see them each time I come in the door.  I didn't have time to ask Ellie (who did the top art work) or Lia (who did the bottom picture) exactly what they were painting.  Every time I look at them, I see something different.  And they make me smile! Isn't that what Christmas is all about? 

 

Another great thing today was listening to the kids talk about Christmas memories from their childhood.  The one that sticks out in my mind right now is the time I nearly burned down the house with the Advent Candles on Christmas Morning.  I was busy cooking breakfast and suddenly there were flames from the top of the TV cabinet.  The candle wax had started the wreath on fire and melted the top of the cabinet!  Doug recalled Ken running for the fire extinquisher and putting out the fire.  I guess for a grade school age boy, this was a pretty great Christmas morning!  I will never live that one down.

 

The weather even cooperated and the "winter weather advisory" and the ice and snow predicted didn't happen. Ken and I drove home in 34 degree weather with rain. So much better than ice and snow that we had feared. So, now LET IT SNOW! Ken and I are at home with no where to go!

 

Yes, it was a wonderful day! 

 

Jesus, thank you for this full day of blessings.  Thank you for Ken, Gwen, Tim, Doug, Susie, Lia, Ellie, Zeke (and Anna)!  What a joy it is to gather together and celebrate Your Birthday.  Holy Spirit, spread your love and joy and wonder to all during this next week and let us celebrate with the excitement of children.   Amen

 

PS -  I blogged in November about getting those stacking cups for Lia.  Well, they were a great success.  I can't tell you how amazing it was to watch Lia do this stacking in many different patterns.  Ken and I were guessing that she spent over 1 hour playing with these cups today.  Who would have thought that 10 plastic cups could bring so much fun???? 



Kind of a snowy, busy day... and thinking about my dad!

Today started off with the sound of the snowplows going by the house.  Never a good sound.  We got around 3 to 4 inches of snow overnight, on top of the 2 or so that we had from last week.  It was still snowing when Ken and I left the house to start our shopping.  I have to admit, it does put you into that Christmas mood when it's pleasant (not below zero) and lightly snowing and things do look very pretty with a snow cover.  Of course the best thing was that it is Saturday!  At any rate, we got lots of small errands run, found a couple of last minute gifts, shopped at SAMS, and came home.  Ken was able to clear our driveway in a very short time, thanks to our handy little "Electric Snow thrower"  (this is a very small snow blower that works great for our small drive.  Thankfully we also own a bigger snow blower that we got from Ken's dad when he moved to Florida.  This was just a small snow and didn't require the "big guns").  We then ventured out again and picked up a couple more odds and ends that we needed.  When we got home, I had a job to do for my work.  I needed to make ANOTHER batch of those crazy "applesauce/cinnamon ornaments".  You see, this is the 4th batch that I have made.  The first one, at school worked quite well and we had about 12 usable ornaments.  However, somehow all the candy canes kept breaking!  So we decided to make another batch.  Well, I forgot to stir the already opened jar of applesauce and the ornaments were wet and never turned out right.  SO, I made another batch at home.  My candy canes broke in the same way as the previous batches.  So today I made a 4th batch with REGULAR applesauce and NEW cinnamon and these seem to be much better.

As I was making these, Ken yelled at me for using my "old" rolling pin instead of the wonderful new marble rolling pin that he bought for me.  And then I got to thinking about my dad.  You see this small little wooden rolling pin was made by my dad.  I don't know exactly WHEN but I have always used this rolling pin since I can remember.  I suppose that it was made for one of my siblings (this is one perk of being the youngest!) but I got custody of this when I got married.  I really took a close look at it today.  It is worn, and there are some stains and water marks on.  But you can see the detail that went into this wonderful little rolling pin.  It is really sized for a child and not meant to be a regular rolling pin.  But it just feels "right" when I am rolling out dough.  So today I used this rolling pin to make this 4th (and I hope final) batch of ornaments for the Blue Room kids at my work.  Join me in praying that they dry well and that we don't lose anymore candy canes! 

 

I just love that I have been blessed with these many physical reminders of my mom and dad.  I loved holding that rolling pin and thinking about my dad and how he loved to work with wood.  Even in the last years of his life, he was wanting to go to the lumbar yard to get some "supplies" for projects.  Since he was already in a wheelchair at the time, there was no way that he could build anything.  Yet his heart was to work with wood and build something.  When I picture my dad I don't usually see him dressed up in a suit (although for most of my life he wore suits and ties to work everyday).  The picture I have of him is in his favorite clothes - "uniform pants" (think cotton work pants) and a tee shirt.  This was his usual attire on weekends and at the lake.  He even had some "work shirts" that were uniforms with his name on the front.  He was really just a repairman at heart.  What a blessing that was for our family.  Dad could fix just about anything around the house.  He was great at plumbing, and every appliance could be fixed by him.  He could repair our tv's and stereos.  The only thing he never worked on was the cars.  We took those to the dealer!  I really think he was happiest with his head inside of a washing machine, doing a repair or sawing wood on his table saw.  I am thankful that he got to spend all of his working career doing something that he loved.  That is a tremendous blessing. 

 

So, one more blog about my dad.  I honored him in August, around the time of what would have been his 100th birthday, with several blog posts.  But this just sparked my memory today and gave me another reason to be so thankful for my Dad.  Even though he has been dead since 1985, I am grateful for the memories that come to my mind so frequently.

 

Jesus, thank you for my family.  For my mom and dad.  Holy Spirit, thank you for the gentle reminders of the great gifts I have received from my parents.  Thank you for the direction and guidance that you give to us.  Thank you for Christmas and ornaments and little children.  Thank you for snowy days and time to shop and time together.  Amen

The blessing of great pretzels..............

Tonight as Ken and I were sitting at dinner at our local Chili's restaurant, I realized that today was Friday the 13th.  I happened to see something on my phone about facts on Friday the 13th.  And I was thinking about various superstitions that hold so many people hostage.  Friday the 13th is certainly on that list.   Since I don't believe in "luck" either good or bad, this seems very silly to me.  I know that nothing happens by chance and that our destiny is part of God's plan for us.  So it really doesn't matter to me WHAT the date is, since everyday Jesus is in charge of my life.  The interesting thing that happened was that after dinner, the waitress accidentally dropped a plate holding several small dishes of various sauces.  They smashed to the floor and splattered EVERYWHERE including up and down the side of my leg and on my shoes.  Since I was going to be going straight home and really didn't care about my clothes, this was not a big deal.  When I heard the waitress say "It figures, it's Friday the 13th!"   I kind of chuckled!   When we found out that the manager had taken our appetizer off of our bill (By the way....wonderful, warm, fluffy, tasty pretzels - that make going to Chili's worthwhile) I realized what a blessing this little accident was for Ken and I.  Free Appetizers!  It's all about perspective.  From the perspective of that waitress, it was a "bad luck" occurrence because of Friday the 13th.  From my perspective, this was just an accident that ended with a blessing for us. 

So, these pretzels were a wonderful "unexpected" surprise.  And yes, I am still "Expecting the Unexpected".   I had another "unexpected" surprise at work today.  I got to spend my entire day in my favorite classroom, with my favorite kids and my favorite co-worker.  And today I got to paint a bunch of kid's hands with brown finger paint (making cute reindeer out of these), helping assemble a really cute owl (for "O" week), helped create a sign up sheet for next weeks Holiday Party (this included coloring and cutting out pictures of reindeer - in the dark- when the kids were asleep), read a really cute book to the kids that was an age appropriate book based on "Christmas Carol" and finished up the day watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas".  Really, could there have been a better day? 

 

Yes, all in all, this was a really good day.  And now, I am going to bed because after re-reading this blog, I understand why I am tired!  Good night!

 

Jesus, thank you for surprises and blessings.  Thank you for work, for children, for friends, for family and for food - especially pretzels!  Bless that waitress and help her to know that accidents happen and that you are in charge Jesus!  Amen



Day 10 - Today I am so thankful for my house!

I've been gone for the last couple of days at a wonderful, relaxing scrapbook retreat.  It was a great time with Gwen and Susie and some other wonderful women.  A time of laughing, talking, eating, talking, listening, talking, scrapping, eating, sleeping, swimming, resting, talking ........   well, you get the idea!  At any rate, it was FUN!!!  The time away was a break from the routine and from my new job.  I accomplished a lot of scrapbooking - 56 pages!  Yet, it was a calming, restful time. 

When I pulled up to the house, I was struck by a powerful wave of gratitude and thankfulness for my home!  Ken and I are so blessed to have this house.  We bought this house 36 years ago.  We were young and never expected to be here for even 10 years.  We brought Gwen and Doug home from the hospital here.  We have celebrated birthdays and holidays and graduations here.  Circumstances have kept us in this house, but more than that, we have been BLESSED in this house.  When you see the statistics that less than 28% of homes are OWNED with no debt, it seems miraculous that we have accomplished that.  And it was not because of great planning on our part.  As a matter of fact, it was a real roller coaster over the years.  But Jesus provided this home, and he enabled us to get through those ups and downs and that long twisting path that has led us to this day. 

Our house is very small.  There were some years that our house felt VERY crowded.  I always regretted that we did not have a place for our kids to play. But now I am beginning to understand what a blessing it was that we had to stay physically close.  This weekend, listening to Gwen talking to Susie about her growing up years, blessed my heart.  And now (other than the stairs) this house is perfect for Ken and I. 

Even as I was writing this I was hearing - a house is just a building - but the people and the memories make a home! I am thankful for this "HOME" but I am also thankful for the building that houses us! Yep, it changes your perspective when you think about all of the "stuff" that is important to us, that could be gone in an instant.  I've been thinking about the terrible cyclone that hit the Philippines. And then there are hurricanes, tornado's, fires, floods that could take away these things.  But, in all of this, I know who is in charge of everything!  It is really a comfort to know that everything that I have is really just a gift provided to me by Jesus.

I encourage you today to be thankful for all of the "stuff" that fills your life.  Be thankful for your "home" as well as your "house"!  And take time to celebrate all the people in your life that make those amazing memories. 

Jesus, thank you for your provision for everything in my life.   In fact, thank you for my life!  Holy Spirit, thank you for reminding me that even in my thankfulness for my physical house, the most important part of the building is the people and the memories.  Jesus, thank you for blessing my children with wonderful families, with great memories, and exactly the right houses for them.  Holy Spirit, bring comfort and courage and great faith to all those effected by the cyclone in the Phillipines.  Pour out your blessings on your people!  Thank you.  Amen

Day 7 - Thankful for Gwen and Doug - and the miracle of life!

So I am sure that part of my thankful post today is working with all the little ones.  Yesterday I even got to feed and diaper a 6 week old!  Really, is there anything better than sitting in a rocking chair, cuddling with a tiny baby that is eagerly eating his bottle?  I don't think so.  So tonight I have pulled up these very early pictures of Gwen and Doug.  Gwen's picture is especially important to me.  Ken took this picture the first time I ever saw Gwen. After an emergency C-section and a long recovery room stay (this was a general anesthesia section - before they were doing spinals), Gwen arrived in my room in a little dress with a bow in her hair.  I have always been sorry that I missed seeing her right after she was born.  I was very glad that Ken had stood outside the operating room door and walked with Gwen to the nursery and watched them clean her up and dress her.  So when Doug was born, I was very grateful for the epidural and being awake to actually see him in the operating room.  It was especially important since he was born at 31 weeks and ended up in the NICU.  The picture above is the first time I actually got to hold him.  He was 3 days old.  You can see that his little hand is bruised from the IV's and his face is marked up from the tape and tubes. 

Yes, today I am very thankful for my children.  Actually, I simply can't imagine my life without them.  It is such a blessing to watch your children change and grow.  I loved them just born, I loved them as young children, even as teenagers and especially now as adults.  It's an amazing thing that God sees fit to loan us these precious little beings and trusts us to raise them up to adulthood.  So many times during the years of child rearing, I remember thinking, "I don't think I can do this!"  But, somehow, I did. As with most things, you tend to forget all the tough things and remember the good. And I think all parents hold on to some of those "just wait till you have children" stories.  But as a word of encouragement to anyone in that "parenting" stage.... you CAN do this and you WILL get through this.  No matter how many bumps in the road, or how many sleepless nights - eventually your task is completed. 

Isn't it an amazing part of Yahweh's great plan, to establish families?  I love that he knew just how difficult it would be, yet so wonderful all at the same time.  And I also am thankful that he knew how much we would treasure our grandchildren, once our children were grown and gone.  I so valued my mother's wisdom when it came to raising my children.  Her calm reassurance and guidance helped me relax and enjoy the ride. And I am hopeful that I can be that voice of reason for my children. 

I love how Jesus loved the little children. How he took them on his lap and blessed them.  I love how he valued the little boy with the loaves and fish.  He really cared about and SAW the little children.  So I know that he loves and cares for all of our children.  And he is helping us all along the way.

Jesus loves me this I know,

for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me - the Bible tells me so! 

Jesus, thank you for the gift of my children.  Holy Spirit, comfort and encourage all those reading this blog, who have young children.  Remind them that Jesus loves them and their children and this season will pass.   Thank you for reminding me of this special and amazing part of your plan for my life!   Amen

Celebrating daughters!

This picture is one of my very all time favorites.  This is me and Gwen in September of 1979 when she was about 4 months old.  Gwen doesn't understand why I love this picture, and to tell you the truth, I'm not exactly sure why I love this picture!  I think because it is one of the few pictures I have of me with Gwen (since I was usually the one taking the pictures) and more than that, it is just a candid shot!  I love that we are just laying on the couch together.  I love the look on her face.  I just love this picture!    I decided to post this shot today because we just found out that Gwen and Tim's expected baby is a GIRL!!!!  So Lia, Ellie and Zeke will have a new little sister next February.  We are so excited.  Zeke, we love you, but I am so excited to see all those cute little dresses again!  And I am envisioning the wonderful 3 matching dresses in the future - with Zeke coordinating is some very "manly" way! 

And with all that........... my life-long friend today is Gwen!  How could I leave her out of this "mini series" on friends?  I realized that I always said that my mom was my best friend.  And in the later years, I really began to know this in a deep and meaningful way.  And that has made me appreciate so much more, my relationship with Gwen.  I am sooooo blessed by Gwen on a daily basis.  So often she brings me a word or thought from her bible study or devotions or a sermon or something she has seen on the internet.  And I am so thankful that first of all, she communicates these things with me on a regular basis (okay honesty here, we usually talk at least once a day).  I know that many moms are not so blessed to have daughters who call daily.  More than just the calls, I am so blessed by the spiritual depth of our conversations.  I love that we can really share what is most important to us.  I love that I know that she is praying for me!  I love that she knows that I am praying for her!   It is simply amazing to watch her parent her children with so much grace.  What a joy it is to see her prophetic gifting coming forth.  And more than that, to see how much deeper and clearer her gifting is.  I love how she loves children and youth with whom she interacts.  I love her heart to reach the youth with the love of Jesus.  I love that she understands how to reach people in her generation.  And now I love watching her develop this same kind of relationship with her own daughters and son.   How special! 

Today I encourage you all to think about your relationships with your family.  If you are blessed with open and sharing relationships with your children and/or your parents - CELEBRATE and give thanks!  If you feel distant from your family members, pray and trust that Jesus will work this out.  The Holy Spirit is great at bringing families back together.  It is the heart of Yahweh to build strong loving families.  Our family members can and should be our best life-long friends.  Thank you Jesus!

Jesus, thank you for showing me today how you have blessed me through Gwen. Holy Spirit please encourage all those who are feeling distant in their relationships with their parents or children or siblings.  Give them great faith to trust in your ability to bring reconciliation and blessings to families.  Jesus, thank you for my new granddaughter.  Continue to protect and guard her as she grows and develops before her birth.  Thank you for Lia, Ellie and Zeke.  Bring them great joy and give them all a tight bond as siblings.  Thank you for Tim and Doug and Susie!  And Jesus, thank you so much for Ken.  Amen

PS.... Car update:  My car needs a new starter and will be repaired on Monday!  Ken and I were discussing what a blessing it was that the starter went out in a driveway when I was the only one effected.  Not during the car line, not when the kids were in the car, not when I was MILES away from home.  Not in the dark.  Jesus, thank you for your perfect timing! And thank you for honest, dependable car repair people!